OpenAI Launches Codex App: A Command Center for AI Agents

On February 2, 2026, OpenAI introduced the Codex App for macOS, a new desktop interface designed to transform how developers collaborate with AI. Described as a "command center," the application shifts the paradigm from simple chat interactions to orchestrating teams of autonomous agents capable of executing complex, parallel workflows.

Parallel Orchestration and Isolated Workflows

The app addresses the challenges of scaling AI development by allowing users to manage multiple agents simultaneously.

• Multi-Threading: Developers can run several agents in parallel threads. For instance, one agent can draft documentation while another refactors code in a separate stream, allowing for multitasking without context switching.
• Git Worktrees Support: To prevent conflicts, agents operate in isolated "worktrees." This means each agent works on a separate copy of the codebase, allowing developers to explore different implementation paths or let agents fix bugs without altering the user's local git state until changes are approved.

Beyond Code: Skills and Automations

Codex is positioning itself as a broader productivity tool through the introduction of Skills and Automations:

• Skills: These modules allow agents to interact with external tools to complete end-to-end tasks. Pre-built skills include fetching designs from Figma to generate pixel-perfect UI code, managing ticket backlogs in Linear, deploying web apps via Vercel or Netlify, and generating visual assets using GPT Image.
• Automations: Users can schedule agents to perform background tasks. Examples cited include running daily bug triage, summarizing CI/CD failures, or generating release briefs automatically, with results delivered to a review queue.

Powered by GPT-5.2

The application is built on the GPT-5.2-Codex model, which was released in mid-December 2025. OpenAI reports that usage of the model has doubled since launch, with over one million developers currently using Codex.

Security and Availability

• Sandboxing: The app features a configurable, open-source system-level sandbox. Agents are restricted to editing files in their specific working directories and require explicit user permission for elevated actions like network access.
• Access: The app is available immediately for macOS, with a Windows version in development.
• Pricing: It is included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise, and Edu subscriptions. For a limited time, OpenAI is also offering access to ChatGPT Free and Go users, while doubling rate limits for all paid subscribers.